Zynga to roll out unified gaming platform, multiplayer gaming

26.06.2012
Zynga announced Tuesday that it would build a social gaming network that provides a more unified gaming experience, whether players are on Facebook, iOS or Android devices.

Called Zynga with Friends, the network will allow people to play games against each other across the different platforms, even if one is on the Facebook website and the other on an iPhone, for instance.

They'll also have access to the same set of social features. They include group chat and the ability to find new friends -- or zFriends, as Zynga calls them -- and challenge them to play.

Outside developers will also be able to use the features with a new, streamlined set of APIs (application programming interfaces), Zynga's chief engineer Kostadis Roussos said, during Zynga's Unleashed event in San Francisco.

The company also announced a new crop of games, including two additions to its "ville" franchise that are coming soon: "The Ville," where players can build a home and host social activities, and "ChefVille," in which users set up and run their own restaurant.

It also launched "Matching With Friends," which is available for iOS devices Tuesday, and "Zynga Elite Slots," a casino game that's coming soon.